Nick Grimshaw is determined to keep presenting his BBC Radio 1 show throughout the coronavirus outbreak.
The 35-year-old DJ and his colleagues at the UK station have stayed on the airwaves as the highly contagious disease – also known as COVID-19 – has swept across Britain and the rest of Europe claiming thousands of lives.
Although the official advice from the UK government is for as many people as possible to stay at home and work from their houses if possible, "broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting" have been classed as key workers and Grimmy insists he is happy to stay on the airwaves to try and provide the listeners with some normality during this unprecedented period.
He said: "It is a very weird time. Work has been really different.
"It’s a time like this when everyone needs normality so I think we’re trying to make sure that we’re going in and doing the shows as normal even if people aren’t doing the commute to-and-from work. I think it’s nice to have that normality each day."
Grimmy admits it is odd going into Broadcasting House at the moment because most of the staff are off and "strict rules" have been put in place to ensure the studios are sterilised and to stop the potential spread of coronavirus.
The former ‘X Factor’ judge – who presents the Drivetime slot – has changed his usual commute to comply with social distancing advice.
Speaking with Frankie Bridge on her ‘Open Mind’ podcast, he said: "I’m going to walk to work, I think it’s going to take like an hour-and-a-half, I’m just going to listen too music and do it. I really don’t want to get on the tube and I don’t want to get in a taxi so that’s the only option. I think it’s important to do that.
"Work has been really different. There’s been really strict rules at the BBC, there’s only me and a producer allowed in and then we have to get out before anyone else can come into the room and everything is being crazily sterilised. "I’m enjoying the fact that I can still go to work but work does feel really crazy at the moment, it feels like you’re doing pirate radio because the building is empty there’s usually six-and-half thousand people in there and it feels so weird to be in that building when it’s completely empty."
Nick Grimshaw determined to stay on Radio 1 during pandemic
